Damned Machines
by inspired-looney
Summary: How did seeing the zatarc detectors again affect jack and sam


'Why the hell did we have to see that thing again? We were doing fine. Workings hard to ignore these feelings, then out of nowhere, we're back to square one. I know I should be concerned about Bra'tac, I mean, I am concerned, it's just, I'm more worried about what the Colonel is thinking just now. I'm wondering whether or not I can bury these feelings again. It was so hard the last time, I don't know if I can go through that again.' Sam walked along the corridors of the SCG and thought back over the events of the past few days. The attack of the ashrak on the alpha site had been a nightmare. Pitting the Tok'ra and the Jaffa against each other, with the humans in the middle. Sam had a lot of energy to burn most of pent up due to a certain Colonel she didn't want to think about. She was so lost in thought; she didn't even see Janet walking towards her till she almost collided with her. "Hey Janet, I'm sorry, didn't see you there." "Yeah, u looked just a little pre-occupied, anything u wanna talk about?" "Not right now, just a little restless after the last few days, think I'm gonna hit gym for a little while, then go home and sleep." "Yeah, Sleep was on the prescription, remember, u barley rested over the last few days. You're on downtime and I don't want to see you anywhere near this base, got it?" "Yeah Janet, I'll stay away from work, I promise." She hugged her friend goodbye and headed towards the locker room. She quickly changed into her shorts and tank top and made her way to the gym.  
  
She walked in and noticed only one other person. "Poor Punch Bag!" She joked and walked over to see who was beating it up, she was surprised at who she found there. "Sir, I thought u left already?" "Yeah, I decided I wanted a bit of a work out" "So you decided to kick the crap outta the punch bag? What did it ever do to you?" "Nothing Carter, it did nothing, I'm projecting, pretending its someone else, a whole group of someone else's actually" "Oh Right, well I'll leave u to it" She picks up her water and towel and turns to leave "Hey Carter wait, I'm sorry, u came here to work out, don't leave cause I'm not in the greatest of moods." He looks down and notices the wrapping on her hands, she obviously came here for the same reason he did, "Want me to hold it while you have a go?" She looks up at his now smiling face and puts her towel and water back down, how can she ever refuse that smile. "Sure, why not?" "Great!!"  
  
Jack holds onto the bag and Sam starts to take a few practice swings at it. Soon enough, she forgets he's even there and is giving the bag as good a beating as he was. She can see the machine and hear its little beeps. She can see the red light turning, growing brighter and brighter. She's getting angrier, she wants to destroy it, that which made her divulge her feeling for him, that made her hear his feelings for her, that machine that practically ruined her life. With that last thought, she gives the bag one last almighty wallop and is brought back to reality by the sound of Jack on the floor, clutching his nose. "Oh God Sir, I'm so sorry." She bent down over him, looking very worried, "I totally forgot you were there!" "Yeah, so I guessed, God, I'd hate to be the person you were projecting onto!" At this, Sam gave a small sarcastic chuckle; Jack just looked up at her, "What?" "Nothing, just" She sighs heavily " I wasn't projecting a someone, more a something." "Oh right, I take it u enjoyed seeing that machine again as much as I did" "Yeah" Sam looked away from him; fearful he would see the emotion in her eyes. She stood up and put on her strongest voice "How's the nose Sir?" Jack took the hint, "It's fine, I've had worse." Sam picked up her towel and dried the beads of sweat that were starting to make their way down her forehead, completely avoiding looking in his direction. "So, ah, Carter, u headed home?" "Ah, Yes Sir, by strict orders of Janet, if she sees me on the base while we're on leave she's gonna sedate me to make me sleep" Sam replied with a chuckle, unwittingly letting her gaze fall onto her Colonel. He was looking directly at her, his eyes dark and emotional, "So, Sam, are we gonna talk about this now? I think we were both here kicking the shit outta the punch bag for pretty much the same reason don't you?" Sam stared deep into his eyes. Seeing that damn machine again had brought back to many deeply buried thoughts and feelings. He wanted to talk, so they would take, but nothing had changed. "Sure Sir, lets talk." 


End file.
